Drug dealer refused to do community service in the rain

David Houlsby, 23, was ordered to carry out 100 hours’ work as part of a suspended sentence for possession of cannabis with inent.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard after completing just three hours of the order he complained it was too wet – and refused to do any more.

When his probation officer refused to let him go home he branded him an “idiot” and threatened to “punch his face in”.

Prosecutor Andrew Holmes told the court: “He refused to do the unpaid work because it was very wet.

“He then asked the probation officer if he could go home and the probation officer refused, saying

everyone else was doing it.

“He then said ‘do you want to go around the corner and I will punch your face in’.

“He then refered to the probation officer as an idiot.”

The court heard Houlsby, of Wawn Street, South Shields, had claimed his sentence was too harsh for his crime and said it “breached his human rights”.

His case was brought back to court for re-sentence yesterday where Judge John Evans ordered him to serve six months imprisonment.

Judge Evans told him: “You leave the court with little alternative, when you were before me for possession of cannabis with inent I gave you a chance “You had no intention of completing any order or working with those who were trying to help you.”

Houlsby’s barrister Ron Mitchell had told the court: “He now regrets his behaviour and will comply with the order in the unlikely event that he would be given another chance.”